


Connecting the Dots

by LyriaBlackFrost



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, More kisses than I can count
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 11:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18737704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriaBlackFrost/pseuds/LyriaBlackFrost
Summary: Yuuki is insecure by nature, and his family’s expectations just seem to make everything worse. It’s good that he has a very caring boyfriend, who is willing to remind him of how beautiful he is, as many times as he needs to.





	Connecting the Dots

There were days when Ryuji and Yuuki chose to spend their lunch break together on the school’s rooftop, especially when the Phantom Thieves were busy with a palace infiltration, or exploring Mementos, which meant they would barely have any time to spend with each other until they were finished. For that reason, as much as both enjoyed the time they spent with their friends, they took all the chances they got to have a moment only for the two of them — which also resulted in some jokes and provocations from Akira and Ann.

Instead of the usual conversation, laughter and cuddles, however, that day was mostly… silent. Ryuji could tell by how restless Yuuki seemed that he had something on his mind, and that it was far from being anything good.

“Hey…” he asked in a low voice, placing a hand on the side of Yuuki’s head, caressing it. “What’s the matter?”

Yuuki raised his eyes, opening his mouth. He changed his mind before answering, though, shaking his head.

“It’s—”

“Don’t say it’s nothin’,” said Ryuji. “I know you’re worried, and I wanna know what’s wrong.”

Yuuki lowered his eyes, seeming to have shrunk an inch or two because of that subject.

“I just…”

He hesitated, and Ryuji gave him time to find the words.

“Do you think I’m ugly?”

Ryuji stared at him. That question came so out of nowhere that he couldn’t find a proper reaction.

“What?” he asked.

“I mean…” Yuuki placed a hand on the back of his neck, still avoiding Ryuji’s gaze. “Not exactly ugly, but… Do I look plain? Or unattractive?”

“Where did that come from?”

“I just wondered…”

Ryuji cupped his face with both hands, making Yuuki look at him.

“You’re gorgeous,” he said, serious.

Yuuki smiled with the corner of his lips.

“Of course you’d say that…” he said, his face becoming serious again. “But, do you think I’d look better if I gained some weight? Or if I changed my clothes, or—”

Ryuji sighed, placing a hand on his head.

“Okay, who said this stuff to you?”

Again, Yuuki took some time to answer, clearly bothered by it.

“Yesterday, my sister brought her boyfriend, Takuma, home,” he said. “He is, you know… really good-looking, and smart, and funny, and all that… After he left, my mother just started, you know, questioning me about when I’d take a girl home, and…”

He crossed his arms, looking down again.

“She said I’ll never get a girlfriend while I look this… plain,” he proceeded. “That I should try to look more like Takuma, instead. Go back to a sports team, gain some muscle, change my ugly clothes and hairstyle…” He lowered his voice. “Stop being such an awkward mess…”

A bitter feeling filled Ryuji’s chest. He knew he should have expected something like that, since Yuuki’s family was… complicated, to say the least. His parents had good jobs and more than enough money to live comfortably. However, they were obsessed with the idea that their children had to be much better than they ever were — almost perfect. For that reason, they expected the best grades, the best jobs, the best connections, the best partners… Basically, the best everything. That was one of the reasons they kept their relationship a secret from them, despite being open about it to their friends: Yuuki’s family hated the idea that he was friends with a “delinquent” like Ryuji, so, things would only get worse if they ever knew they had been together for over six months.

“Yuuki…” started to say Ryuji, still unsure of how to comfort his partner.

“I mean, I don’t care that girls don’t find me attractive,” added Yuuki, quickly, “but… I don’t want you to think I’m ugly.”

“You’re not ugly in any way, you idiot.”

“But if I change my appearance a little, or start exercising more—”

“Yuuki…” Ryuji interrupted him, placing a hand under his chin, carefully lifting his face. “Look at me.”

Yuuki did as he said.

“You’re beautiful, okay?” proceeded Ryuji. “If you wanna do any of these things ‘cause you want, or if it’d make you feel better, that’s okay. But if you wanna change ‘cause you think I don’t like you the way you are now, then stop.”

“But I’m so boring… I’m not tall, or strong, and my face is… Ow!”

Ryuji pinched his cheek. He didn’t use any strength, but it was enough for Yuuki to look at him.

“There’s nothin’ wrong with being small. How many guys in our school are the same height as you? C’mon… Not everyone is a fuckin’ giant like Yusuke.”

A low, brief giggle left Yuuki’s lips.

“That’s true…” he admitted.

“Right?” Ryuji leaned in his direction, placing a kiss on his forehead, before resting his chin on the top of his head, caressing his hair. “I don’t care about what your mother said… She’s wrong. You don’t need to be any different to be attractive, okay?”

“Okay, but… If you start to get tired of me, can you promise that you’ll tell me? So I’ll try to change a little.”

Ryuji frowned, not liking that request, but choosing not to start a discussion over it.

“That’ll make you feel better?” he asked, instead.

“Yes.”

“Okay, if that happens, I promise I’ll tell you. Just don’t wait for it, ‘cause I don’t think it’s happening like, ever.”

Yuuki’s body relaxed a little.

“I hope so…”

Ryuji moved away from him, looking at his face for a moment. Then, he placed a kiss on his cheek, followed by other, just a little below the first one, and other, close to his chin. It made Yuuki laugh.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Playing connect the dots on your face,” answered Ryuji, kissing the side of his neck.

“What?” it took a second for Yuuki to understand what he meant. “You mean my moles?”

“You have so many.”

Ryuji kept kissing each and every one of those small dots, only making Yuuki’s giggles become louder.

“Hey, Ryuji…” he protested. “It tickles!”

“Sorry, can’t make the other ones jealous now…”

“You’re not planning to kiss them all, are you?”

“I have to.”

“Wait…”

He didn’t wait, and, instead of pushing him away, Yuuki held him close. The sound of his laughter was endearing, and Ryuji looked at his face, unable to hold back a smile.

“Really…” he muttered. “It’s too bad you can’t see yourself the way I do.”

Yuuki, still recovering from his giggles, looked at him.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean the way you see yourself is wrong, ‘cause your family is always sayin’ this kinda shit to you. I see you the way you are, and I love you for that.”

Yuuki’s face acquired a pinkish tone, but, this time, he didn’t look away from Ryuji.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Ryuji embraced his waist, pulling him close. “Really.”

Yuuki rested his head against Ryuji’s chest, taking a deep breath.

“Do you think I’d feel better if I changed something about myself?” he asked in a low voice.

“I dunno… You’re the one who has to decide that.”

For a while, Yuuki didn’t say anything, thinking.

“I don’t feel like going back to a sports club, to be honest…” he admitted. “But maybe I should try exercising a little, to see if it makes me feel better about myself.”

“If that’s the reason, then yeah, sure!” Ryuji smiled, liking that change in his motivations. “We can go runnin’ together after class, you want.”

“Just… Take it slow, okay?” asked Yuuki. “I was never the best volleyball player, to begin with…”

“No problem.”

He thought for a while longer.

“Do you think I should change how I dress?”

“You want to?”

After some pondering, Yuuki shook his head.

“Not really…” he said. “I like my clothes, and they’re comfortable.”

“Then no.”

“And my hair?”

“I like it.”

“Yes… I don’t feel like changing it either.”

He moved away from Ryuji, enough so he could look at his face.

“How about the way I talk?” he asked. “How can I be less awkward?”

“You’re not awkward, you just shy. Nothin’ wrong with that.”

“But people always think I’m weird…”

“If they _really_ think that, then they’re assholes who didn’t even try to know you.” Ryuji brushed Yuuki’s hair away from his forehead, still looking into his eyes. “You really don’t need to be talkative, or popular, or anythin’ like that for people to like you. Just think of how many friends you have: Akira, Ann, Yusuke, Futaba… You didn’t have to act different for them to like you, right?”

“Right.”

“You’d rather have a bunch of assholes who don’t know shit about you think you’re cool?”

“Not really…”

Yuuki lowered his gaze for a moment, considering those words.

“Do you think I’m fine like this?” he asked.

“You really askin’ that to the biggest Yuuki Mishima fan around?”

A shy, but happy smile took Yuuki’s lips, and he gave Ryuji’s shoulder a light punch.

“Don’t say that…” he said. “It’s embarrassing…”

Ryuji watched him, his chest filled with nothing but fondness for that person in his arms. He closed his eyes, giving him a brief kiss on the lips.

“You’re fine,” he said. “You don’t need to change anythin’ you don’t wanna. I mean it, okay? You’re good like this.”

Yuuki nodded.

“Okay.”

It was nice to see the relief on his face. Ryuji offered him a wide smile.

“Now, come here. I wanna give you some love.”

He pulled Yuuki in a hug, kissing his head, face, neck, and lips.

“Feelin’ loved already?” he asked.

“Not enough.”

“Okay, more love then.”

Ryuji went back to his very important task, placing a kiss on each of Yuuki’s moles a second time, making him giggle in that adorable way that Ryuji loved so much.

“Are you connecting the dots again?” asked Yuuki.

“Yeah…” answered Ryuji, smiling to himself. “I can never get tired of it.”

**Author's Note:**

> I... missed them... so much... They're angels, and I love both with my whole heart.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic!


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